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Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

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Original poster

Scottish names in South West England...

27 replies

Kittypillar · 03/01/2018 03:12

Me and my husband have been talking baby names a lot recently and have gotten into a discussion about how people would cope with Scottish baby names where we live.

My mum's side of the family are from Scotland and we really like a certain few names from there. Ones on the list so far are:
Mhairi
Elspeth (although inevitably they'd probably be called Elsie or Ellie for short)
Iona
The only boy names my partner likes that are of that ilk are Ewan and Rory (he insists it can't be the Scottish spelling), which hopefully wouldn't cause anyone too many headaches where we live!

But anyway, our worry is that, even if we love those names enough to use one of them, we do live in the South West of England and baby would probably grow up here, at least for a good portion of their life - would it be a real pain to pick names like that? What does everyone think?

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tabulahrasa · 03/01/2018 03:23

Well Mhairi isn't technically a name, it's what you call Mairi when you're talking to her and Ruaraidh and Rory are pronounced differently, it's not just a different spelling... so, you'd maybe be better sticking to the ones no-one is likely to get wrong, because if you can't be sure of them, no-one else is likely to be.

If you're going for straightforward in English ones though, I'm not seeing why it would be a problem?

Original poster

Kittypillar · 03/01/2018 03:33

Sorry, I did actually know about the difference in how you pronounce Rory and Ruaraidh and meant to say as much, but then I am writing this at 3:30am, so you'll have to forgive that as a brain blip... So yes, husband said he'd want English version of the name.
The Mhairi thing on the other hand I did not know - I have a family friend called Mhairi (she pronounces it Va-Ree) but you learn something new everyday I guess!

OP posts:

MinorRSole · 03/01/2018 04:10

Mhairi is very much a name up here where everyone knows how to pronounce it my fear is that you will permanently be correcting people who may not if it's not well used where you are

SuperBeagle · 03/01/2018 04:21

Elspeth is intuitive. No problem with that one. Iona would probably be fine, too (I'm familiar with it as an Australian as it's a renowned winery where I live).

Mhairi, on the other hand, would certainly have a lifetime of misspellings and mispronunciations.

Ewan and Rory would both be fine.

I think any name which has been experienced popular usage throughout the UK (i.e. Hamish and Isla), or which has a popular culture connotation (i.e. Ewan McGregor) would be fine. It's the names which have less intuitive spellings and pronunciations which will cause problems.

Joinourclub · 03/01/2018 08:14

I think they are all fine. I'm in the south west and I'm familiar with them all!

boredofmyoldname · 03/01/2018 08:24

As a Scottish person I think that Elspeth and Rory are fine.

I know 4 Mhairi's between 5 and 50 and only one of them goes by the "V" pronunciation.

Also, as a side point I love, love, love Ruairidh. DC2 was going to be named this had she been a he. But I really don't get why lots of people on here seem to think it's just another (very awkward) spelling of Rory, it's an entirely different name 🤔

Goosegrass · 03/01/2018 08:45

Struan is a lovely name and very easy to say.

deptfordgirl · 03/01/2018 08:46

I think all the names you have listed are well known and used in England. I live in the South east and know a Mhairi, Rory and Elspeth. I don't think there would be a problem.

Glowerglass · 03/01/2018 08:53

I don't think any would be a problem. Maybe Mhairi - I don't know anyone who has the Vari pronunciation, although I'm not in a gaelic speaking area.

Mrsknackered · 03/01/2018 15:00

I have a cousin who is Elsbeth, it was a compromise from Elspeth as they were worried it wouldn't be accepted (this was 2 decades ago) I believe it's Dutch? Could be wrong.

What about Ishbel? I love Innes for a boy.

LipstickHandbagCoffee · 03/01/2018 15:23

Mhairi Id pronounce Vah-ree If you’re after mairi pronunciation spell it mairi
Elspeth tbh it’s pretty phonetic As it looks. But if you’ll end up using the diminutive Elsie or Ellie for short why not just actually use Elsie or Ellie
Iona again IMO straightforward
Ewan IMO straightforward
Rory again imo straightforward although I think folk will say roar-y, less rolling r

NinonDeLenclos · 03/01/2018 16:04

Love Iona and Rory. Also Skye, Ayr, Quinn, Ossian, Fergus, Fingal/lay, Angus, Hamish, Hector.

ginandnappies · 03/01/2018 16:08

Mhari is definitely a name up here.

tabulahrasa · 03/01/2018 17:40

Mhairi is used as a name, but it's not, it's the vocative case of Mairi, names change in Gaelic when you're talking to somebody.

Sunrise888 · 03/01/2018 17:53

We chose a Scottish spelling in the SE and yes, every congratulations or Christmas card seemed to spell it differently, but we loved it too much, and it is just right. My Scottish PIL argued that the UK is home to a much more international community now, so people are adjusting to unusual spellings anyway. My family OTOH can't pronounce it at all and think we chose it to punish them.

MinorRSole · 03/01/2018 18:00

Ds1 has a quintessentially British name - totally normal. So many people spell it wrong I'm starting to think they do it on purpose.

Erin is used a lot up here but not sure if it's Scottish or Irish in origin

Iona is very popular too along with eilidh although I'm not sure I spelt that last one right

Mhw02 · 03/01/2018 20:36

Mhairi is a name, because, you know, people are called it, and it's their name, so it is, um, a name.

It would be correct to say that, "Mhairi" as a given name, is not correct Gaelic. But people are named it, so you can't say it's not a name, because it is.

I don't think you'd have a problem with names like Iona, Elspeth, Ewan etc, as the pronunciations are straight forward.

Original poster

Kittypillar · 03/01/2018 20:37

I think that's part of my worry @sunrise888 - DH's family are all very English and have been rather vocal and confused by us wanting to consider a Scottish name. I mean, can you imagine, not like I have a close connection to Scotland or anything
Mind you, they've turned up their noses at any name that might be considered slightly unusual, so I'll try not to pay too much attention...

I absolutely love Iona and my husband does too, so looks like that might be the frontrunner.

OP posts:

MinorRSole · 03/01/2018 20:41

Well there's Mhairi Black for a start but she pronounces it marry so maybe not the best example

Original poster

Kittypillar · 03/01/2018 20:47

On another note, thanks everyone for the help :) and for the further name suggestions too, they've been really useful! DH and I had been stuck in a bit of a name rut up until today!

OP posts:

TheHeartOfTeFiti · 03/01/2018 20:50

I don’t like Rory but love Ruri/ Ruridh, ruiri

Sunrise888 · 03/01/2018 23:07

Kittypillar we were stuck too until we found our Scottish name, and there was no other option really! Stick to your guns. The only regrets I have are when I've tried to please everyone except myself! Iona is just beautiful!

Sunrise888 · 03/01/2018 23:09

Btw, we also went for a more common middle name for our baby in case he decides in the future that he doesn't want to use it. We've decided in advance we won't mind 😉.

MrsFoxPlus4 · 03/01/2018 23:18

Can’t see why his family are confused. All really lovely names

FreddieClaryHorshieLion · 03/01/2018 23:51

Iona and Mhairi are lovely. ;)

You might also like Flora, Cormag, Hector and Magnus.

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